Aaron was diagnosed with cancer on April 25. Two months…it feels like much, much more.

Below is a message from his mother, Julie.

Primary Children’s Hospital has become our home away from home. Aaron is receiving chemotherapy 4-5 days every week. At this point in time he is receiving spinal punctures every Thursday to insert chemo straight into his spinal fluid.

On his last bone marrow biopsy 2 weeks ago we found out the good news that Aaron’s blast counts were down from 53% to 10%.

We also received the bad news that Aaron’s blast counts were down from 53% to 10%.

They were expecting to find no sign of cancer in his blood at that point. They are concerned that he is proving to be so resistant to the chemotherapy. At this point, we have to wait for his levels to be either 0% or undetectable, before they can proceed with a bone marrow transplant. Aaron was adopted. We have reached out to as many of the birth family members that we can find, And through luck, and maybe some kind of universal intervention, we have found out that he has five biological half-siblings (from 3 different women) that were all willing to be tested to see if they are a match with Aaron. His birth mother also went to the hospital to be tested to see if she is a match. We can’t believe how amazing these “strangers” are. This is a BIG ask. It’s not just getting their cheek swabbed to see if they are a match. They are agreeing to have surgery, to save my son's life if they are a match. They have never met Aaron. They don’t know him.

But we are family, and I love these people.

For now, we continue with chemotherapy. This is a long-haul cancer. He will have 3 1/2 years of chemotherapy. 3 1/2 YEARS.

We have now been told he definitely will need a bone marrow transplant. We will spend many more months in the hospital. Everything in his life has been put on hold. This should be the best time of his life, and instead, he sleeps 18 hours a day, with very little energy while he is awake. And yet, through it all, he has a smile on his face and has nothing but positive things to say to anyone who asks. He is our hero. A true warrior.

T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia has wreaked havoc on our lives, and yet we are finding a strength we didn’t know we were capable of. We have found out that people are more compassionate than we ever realized. We have seen that in the face of an unmovable mountain, you will be surrounded by a team of people who you never expected.

What can I say that is better than “Thank you”?

It doesn’t begin to express the love, respect, appreciation, and humility I have experienced thanks to you all who have donated and shown my family hope.

I have been brought to tears time and time again overwhelmed with gratitude.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

We are grateful.

We will do this.

Thank you again for everything.

#strongertogetherforaaron

#teamneverquit